Electrically-governed automatically-operable train-controlling system.



No. 891,779. PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908.

H. B. MILLER. Y

ELEGTRIGALLY GOVERNED AUTOMATICALLY OPERABL E TRAIN CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 891,779. H- I PATENTED JUNE 23, 1968, BLEOTBIGALLY GGVERNED AUTOMATIGALLY OPBRABLE TRAIN CONTRQLLING B. MILLER.

SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIOH FILED 00110. 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- M, 4% WW w m be included in the el in'NrrnD srnrnsrnnnzi non.

HARVEY B. MILLER, or smi xros, VIRGINIA, Assicxon or on E-HALF. TO JAMES A. BELL, or sm'x'ron, VIRGINIA.

ELECTRICALLY-GOVERNED AUTOMATICALLY-OPERABLE TRAIN-CONTROLLING SYSTEM. No. 891,779. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 23, 1908. Application filed October 10, 1907. Serial No. 396,807. T '0 all whom it may concern: This stoppage of the trains is accomplished a citizen of the United States, residing at perceive that his train has been slowed down xstaunton, in the county of Augusta and or caused to stop without his agency or that 5 State of Virginia, have invented new and useof any one .on his train, this will positively ful Improvements in Electrically-Governed l indicate to him danger. If he has been Automatically- Operable Train Controlling slowed down in the manner indicated he can Systems, of which the following isaspecificathereafter run under reduced speed until tioIL' l v possibility of danger has been eliminated and 10 Thisv invention relates to electrically -govthis can be indicated by signals or otherwise.

Be it known that}, HARVEY B. MrLLER, automatically and, if an engineer should v erned, automatically-operable, train con- The system involves in its make-up certain electrical connections and means for energizsystem involving myinvention is capaing the same. and, while in the present case is of successful and advantageous use in t ese connections are employed for com 15 connection with railways whereon the vehitrollin the movement of .a train or trains cles are propelled by steam, electricity, or they can without change or possibly by slight otherwise. i

In the drawings accompanying and formwill therefore be clear that, when I use the ing ,;art of this specification I show in detail title which I have selected for designating 29' one simple and-eifcctivc form of embodiment my invention, I can use the invention for of the invention which, to enable those controlling trains in various ways, bu t I prefskilled in the artto 'practicethe same, will erably accomplish this by reducing train he set forth in detail in the following descrippipe or train-line pressure. The difierent tion, while the novelty of the invention will parts are so arranged, as will be hereinafter i aims succeeding said obvious, that the system is self testing; that description. In said description I shall for --convenience"de scribe the system in conjunc for example, to operate, this will be made tion with a steam railway and the same is of evident to an engineer. such a character as to give to an engineer or 1 Referring to said drawings? Figure 1 is a 30- other traininan notice of danger or of the diagrammatic plan view of a system involvrorriniity of twotrains, In the form of eming my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a hodimeiit of the invention illustrated is my combined actua'tor'and contact device. Fig. intention to a prise. two engineers of their 3 is a diagrammatic elevation of portion of a adjacence. jT e system, however, as will be train-pipe, val'vc, magnet for operating the 35 clear from'what has beensta-ted, can be'used valve, and certain co-acting parts. Fig. 4 is a detail view of latching mechanism. ig. 5 90.

is a; detail View in'elevation of a switch, contacts, and latches .coo ierative with said switch. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5 and illustratingby dotted lincs'said combined actuator and contact de vice. Fig. 7 is atop plan View of a contact rail. Fig. 8 is a sectional view "of said contact rails, the said actuator and contact device being partially shown by dotted lines in said gu're. I

Like characters refer to like parts through-- out the several figures.

In Fig. l of thedrauings I have shown a A portion of a railway track, the same being composed of the rails 2. These rails 2 serve at times as conductors, as will hereinafter appear. Cooperative with the railway rails are conductor rails. There may be any number an aecirlent' in case of an open switch or a bridge washed away, or other-sue 1 likeand sirnihir causes. Preferably two trains are 40 simultaneously, stopped or' caused toslow of the trammen in charge thereof when such trains are within dangerous fproinmity to tions: Lpre ier to effect the stoppage or slowing down of trains in such a case by reducing the air pressure in the braking a pipe or train-line, the train carrying the same is caused to slow down or to stop in aocorda-nce with the'amount of reduetiorrof pressure.

18 to say, should there be a failure of a switch, 80 7 of these conductor rails and they may be associated with the track rails in any desirable way. Asa matter of fact said conductor rails need not strictly speaking be rails, so long as they serve as conductors. Said conductor' rails are generally arranged in pairs and they may be separated any desirable distances, the spaces or intervals between the and shown clearly in Figs. 7 and 8. It is my custom to insulate said conductor rails fromthe ground. The conductor rail shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8 may be any one. of those shown in Fig. 1, for instance, the rail 3,

as in the present case they are all the same in construction and function. The conductor rails 3 and 3 cooperate, while the conductor. rails 3* and 3 cooperate. -The conductor rails which cooperate with the rails 3' and 3 are not shown in Fig. 1, althou h it will be I at 6 the locomotive of a train.

understood that they are locate to the right and left res ectively of said rails 3 and 3.

I have s own as extendin between the conductor rails 3 and 3 a con uctor as 5 and this conductor may consist of wire. Between the rails 3 and 3 is a conductor or wire as 5*. The wireor conductor leading from the rail 3 and the cooperative rail, not shown, is denoted by 5*, while the conductor or wire leading from the rail3 to the cooperating conductor rail, also not shown, is'designe ted by 5. Connections such as those I have described can be used when properly energized for operating a signal, a brake-controlling device, or anything else, although in the present case the are, as will be clear, utilized for effecting t e reduction of pressure in an air brake a paratus.

In Fig. 1 of tie drawings 1 have shown This 1000 motive is provided with an air-brake apparatus or system including in its make-up a train-pipe or line as 7 (see will cause a reduction of pressure inthe train-pipe suflicient to cause a slackening of speed of or stoppage of the train hauled by said locomotive 6. To the carry be placed in any de-- ig. 3.) This trainpipe is equipped with a valve as 8 which,

'w ien opener Normally,'of course, the magnet is denergized. 'When it is energized, however, it attracts its armature 12 sufliciently so as to the safne from under the valve operatmember or arm 9, thereby releasing the latter so that said armlcan', by the power of the weight 10, be caused to drop for opening the valve 8. The length of opening movement of the valve canbe regulated by a pm as l5'adapted'to be placed in any one of the several holes 16 arranged on an arc concentric with the axis of motion of the arm 9. The pin 15 is removably fitted in the lowermost hole 16. By'placing said pin in the uppermost hole the opening movement of the valve 8 will be quite restricted. These holes are shown as being formed in the board or plate 14. The armature-detent 12 is illus trated as carried at the lower end of a rocking-lever as 17 shown as fulcrumed between its ends to the board or plate 14. The upper arm or branch of the lever 17 is illustrated as provided with a weight as 18 whereby I obtain a balanced lever; that is to say, there is an equal amount of weight in the lever at o posite sides oi its center of motion so that. 1 t e lever in itself has no tendency to operate. ,To the lower arm or branch of the lever 17 I have shown as connected one end of a light boiled pull spring 19, the other end of said spring being connected with a screw as 20 tapped through a projection as 21 on the plate or card 14. By the manipulation of said screw 20 the tension of the spring 19. can be regulated. This spring '19 serves normally and positively to 12 in its efiective position so that said armature-detent cannot possibly be accidentally disengaged or freed from the arm 9, lfhe core of the magnet 13 is shown as having its ingly shaped portion of said armature-detent when the said magnet attracts said armaturedetent. From one pole of the magnet 13 a conductor as-22 extends, said conductor being connected with somemetallic part-of the locomotive 6 'which is in electrical connection with one of the rails 2. From the other pole of said magnet a wire as 23 extends, said wire being also connected with the swinging arm as 24 represented as pivoted to a rock shaft as 25 carried by bearingsv as 26 on the locomotive (see Fig. 2, for example.) Said swinging arm 24 serves two purposes, one, as a contact device, and the other, as a switchactuator. Said arm therefore is really a combined switch-actuator and contact device. In the embodiment of the invention shown said arm 24, when in its operative position, is horizontally disposed, although, by virtue of its connection with. swung up out of the way when occasion requires to a vertical position- Normally also said arm 24 stands approximately at rightold the armature-detent' '105 outer end provided with a substantially conical counter-bore to receive the correspond-- the shaft 25, it can be niromftheirconhection with the arm to and 5 any of the switch-es or thearm itself.

conductor rails hereinbefore described and to l 40 desired number of batteries employed alon angles to its support or r'ocl :-shaft 24 andit is maintained in this its neutral" position in some 'positivebut yieldable manner, for instance, yspring means. lhave shown two rasprings' :ea'chdenoted by 27 for such purpose.v support as 4,1. It will be understood that 70 he onter ends oi'i the'se springs are connected t e two pairs of contacts 35 and 36 and 37 in some suitable way with the arm'24 at a and 38 are respectively insulated from each pointrempved from the center of motion other, although said contacts are adapted to thereof, said springs extending divergingly be respectively bridged in alternation by the switch lever 29, said lever'having for this 75 purpose a part or projection as 42 to directly engage the respective pairs of contacts. The lever 29 which, of course, is the same in construction as the levers 29 and 29 is nor- In Figs. 5 and 6 now'to be described I have shown one of the switch levers 29 and the parts immediately cooperative there'- eing connected with the support -or rockshaft T e arm therefore is yieldingly mounted ,so that it can operate switches end thereof and also with the support 41. he several parts carried by the support are insulated therefrom in any suita also operate switches .as 29, 29 iand29 provide positive means for temporarily .T 1686 switches are adapted to be supplied with thenecessaryoperating electric current in any desirable manner, for example, from t 1e main or feed conductor 30, branch wires or conductors as 31, 31, andBl leadin satisfactory. At opposite sides of the lever from said main or feed conductor to the: 29, when the same is in its neutral position, I

respective switches 29, 29, and 29 In; l

igsf5 and 6 I have shown one of said being in the present case of the gravity type 30 switches, for instance, the switch 29, and the :and being supported by suitable bearings 95 parts immediatelyassociated therewitl 1, in vupon the support 41 (see Fig.4, for excluding the branch conductor 31. The

main conductor or feed-wire 30 may be supplied in turn with the necessary current by 35 any suitable form 'of generator, for instance,

.y a battery as 3 2 one terminal of which is connected with said wire 30 by a Wire as 33,

while the other terminal, is connected to ground by a wire as 34. There may be any switch levers in-their shifted positions and, althoughsaid means may be of any suitable cliaracterfll find that illustrated as quite 90 as 46 on said support. The lever 29 is shown as occupying its neutral position in Fig. 4. 100 It will be assumed thahsaid lever 29 is swung to the left in said figure. I lV hen it has moved a sufiicient distance it will elevate the latch and, when it has cleared said latch, .the therailway, assuming that such generators are used, but batteries are not essential for this purpose, as will be clear from what has been stated. The lever 29 swings between 45 and cooperates with the pairs of contacts35 and 36 and 37 and 38, the lever 29 cooperating with contacts 35, 36, 37 and 38 while the lever 29 cooperates with contacts 35, 36 37*, and 38 arrangedexactly like the contacts 35, .36, 37-,--and 38. The contact 35 is connected by a wire as 39 with the Wire The contact 37 1 S ,QI1116Cte(l l)y a wire as 49 with the wire 5 which, it will be'rememered, connects the conductor rails 3 and 3 .T iecontact 35 is connected by a wire as 40 v with said wire 5, while the contact 37 is 0011- is holding the lever 29 in itsdotted-line posi n'ectcd by awire 40 with the wire .5 whi'ch, it will beunderstood, connects the contact rails 3 and v3"; Thecont'act 359. con nected by a wire as 40 with said wire 5 while the contact 37 is connected-- by a wire as 40" with thewire5- The contacts 35, 37, 35, 37, 35 a'n'd37 are therefore electrically connected with co6pera'tingcondu'c 5 for rails so as to provide for blocks;

vent for the time being the return of the lever to it's original position by the power of the spring 43. i

The latches 44 and 45 are tripped through are energized as will hereinafter appear, the, armatures of said magnets having links as '47 endent therefrom and loosely connected the latches 44 and 45 whereby the atches can have amovement upward indcpendently of the magnets so as to permit the 45 and therebyrelases the lever 29 so that the latter can be instantly shifted to its neutral position by the power of the spring 43. e magnets cooperative'with the latches for the switch levers 29 and 29 are-denoted by 47 and 48 and 47 and 48?, respectively.

with.,, iheseparts may be mounted upon a mally held in a central or neutral position in 80 I 41 eway. g5

latter will drop behind the'lever, so as to prc- 105 themedium of magnets .as Hand 48 which lie One terminal of the'magnet 48 is-connected by the wire 49 with-the contact 38. The corresponding terminal of the magnet 47' is connected by a wire as 49 with the contact 36. The corresponding terminal of the magnet 48 is connected by a wire as 49 with the contact 38". The other terminals of said three magnets 48, 47, and 48 are connected to round. It is needless, it is believed, to escribe the connections oetween the magnets 47 and 48 and their cooperat ing contacts. The ground connections for said ma nets 47 and 48 are clearlyshown in Fig. 1 0 the drawings.

It will be assumed that a train or locomotive as 6 is traveling in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. locomotive struck the switch lever 29 it swung said switch lever 29 over so that the projection 42 engaged the contacts 3 7 and 38 and electrically bridged the space between these contacts, the lever when shifted having been held in its shifted position by the action of the latch 45. Said lever 29 will be held shifted until the magnet 48 is energized. Said lever 29 will be held in its shifted position until the arm 24 strikes and correspondingly shifts the lever 29 so as to cause said lever 29 to bridge the contacts 37 and 38. As soon as the lever 29 is thus shifted .the contact 38, wire 49, and magnet48 are put into electrical connection with the switch 29 which, as is understood, receives energy from the battery 32, by virtue of which the magnet 48 will be ener ized to release the switch 29 and permit the latter to be brought to its neutral position by the-power of its spring 43. Should the train, locomotive, or other vehicle be traveling in the o posite direction the o eration described will be reversed. It is t erefore evident that, as soon as a train leaves a block, it affects, through certain instrumentalities, such as those hcreinbefore described, the switch in the following block, this, of course, applying whether the vehicle be traveling from the left toward the right in said Fig. 1 or vice versa, so long as the right of way is open. It will be assumed that the train 6 is proceeding toward the left in Fig. 1 and further that a train, not shown, is travcling toward the right in said figure. It will be understoodthat, when the lever 29 was thrown over as previously described, the contact rails 3 and 3 are connected in multiple and are in uninterrupted electric connection with the battery 32 so that, when the con tact member as 24 on the train movin toward the right strikes the contact rail 3, the

magnet 13 thereon will be put into connec tion with the battery 32 and also with ground so as to effect the opening of the airreducing valve 8 on said trainmoving to ward the right, which will result in stopping or slowing down said train. Should" there be a train following the trrin fi sai" following When the arm 24 on the.

combination of train will be stopped as soon as the contact member as 24 thereon strikes the contact rail 3. The train in the block therefore is piotected from opposite directions. While prefer that a train be stopped outright by the reduction of the air pressure it will be apparent that such train might be slowed down.

It will be assumed that the train 6 has passed the switch 29 without operating. the same. The switch 29. thereby having'failed to work the switch (not shown) at the right -of said switch 29 is effective for holding the contact rail 3, in electrical connection with the battery 32' so that, when the contact member 24 strikes the contact rail 3 the train 6 will be stopped or caused to slow down. This makes the system therefore self testing.

' What I claim is:

1. In a system of the class described, the several pairs of contacts, a switch cooperative with each two pairs of contacts and adapted to simultaneously bridge-the contacts of each pair, a source of electrical energy connected with the switches, conductor rails connected with certain of the contacts, magnets electricallyconnected with the remaindenof the contacts, and switchlocking means controlled'by said magnets.

2. In a system of the class described, the

combination of several pairs of contacts, a

switch cooperative with each two pairs of contacts and adapted to simultaneously bridge the contacts of each of such pairs, means for normally holding each switch out of engagement with its several cooperating contacts and for returning the same to a noutral position after having been shifted, a source of electrical energy connected with the switches, conductor rails connected with certain of the contacts, magnets electrically connected with the remainder of the contacts, and switch-locking means controlled by said magnets.

8. In a system of the class described, the combination of several pairs of contacts, vibratory switch cooperative with each two pairs of contacts and adapted to simultaneously bridge the contacts of each of such pairs, a source of electrical energy connected with the s\ vitches, conductor rails connected with certain of the contacts, magnets cloctrically connected with the remainder of the contacts, and switch locking means controlled by said magnets.

4. In a system of the class described, rails, a vehicle to travel on said rails, a conductor rail, a contact electricallyconnected with said conductor rail, a switch, a source of elcc-' same against said contact and to'alsp make electrical connecti-onwith said conductor rail for energizing said magnet.

' 5. In a system of the class described,rails, a vehicle to travelon said rails, 'a conductor rail, a. contact electrically connected with said conductor rail, a switch, a source of elec- -trical energy connected with said switch, and

6.,In' a system of the class described, a

operative electrical connections on said vehicle involvlng a-combmed actuator and contact device, contact device being adapted to actuate said tact and to also makeelectrical connection with saidconductor rail for energizing said magnet, and'being also movablednto an in-' 0 erative position where it will not operate switch 0 erable by a moving train, a contact engagea le bysaid switch, a conductor 'rail electrically connected with said contact, a source of electrical said switch, a circuit involving a switch and a magnet, the latter switch when operated serving toclose said circuit sition switch in its shifted position.

erable byamoving train,-a contact source .of electrical-energy said switch,-'a circuit involving a switch and hold t position. 1 ,7

8. In a system of the class described, the

a magnet, the switchwhen operated serving to close said circuit to {energize saidmagnet,

and 'a latch operable by said magnet and loosely connected with the core thereof whereby the: latch is independently of the fservin capable of movement e first mcntione 'for holdin posite shi ted positions, magnets for conenergy connected with toenergize said 7 magnet,and a latch movable into an inopera-i tive positioniby said magnet and into angl' 7 independently of said" magnet,said'latch when'in its operative pos sition, serving to hold the first-mentioned electrically connected with the I I, 'thet-gcontacts of-each said-switcn-a conductor rail jme'ansfor; supplying-,;the said switches with said contactya connected with magnet and-the latch wheniinits operative position, to switch mza shifted combinationof several airs of contacts, a switchto cooperate'wit each two pairs of contacts and adapted to simultaneously bridge the-contacts of each of such pairs, said switches being oppositely shiftable from a neutral position for such purpose, latches the several switches vin their optrolling the latches, a energy, and means for energization of said magnets. v 9. In a system of the class described, the

source of electrical causing the successive combination of railway rails, two electrically connected conductor rails adjacent to and separated'longitudinally of the railway rails, two electrically connected switches,means for supplying electrical energy to said switches,

cle to travel en saidrailwayra'ils, meanson the vehicle for shiftng the switchesand for also making electrical connection with said conductor rails, a circuit controlled by one of the switches andincluding a magnet, .a latch for the latter switch controlled by said magnet, the other. switch being operable,

when shifted, to close said circuit, and an electrically operative part on the-vehicle,-

said vehicle which makes tion with said conductor rails:

e '10. In as'ystem of the class'described, the com'bination -of several pairs of contacts, a switchcooperative 7. In a .system'of the class described, a" switch'o I by en a ea e ele ctr 'ically connected with with each two pairs of contacts? and adapted to simi1ltaneously 'of-suh pairs, electrical' energy,

conductor rails connected of thefcontacts, magnets electrics'tlly"c'onnect'edwitli the remainder "of. the

contacts, andmeans for holdingthe switches in two opposite shifted positions, controlled by said magnets. V

In testimony whereof my hand in presence of nessesv v I have" hereuntoset two subscribing wit- J-HARVEY 'B; MI LER.,, -Witnesses R; W. BLAOKFORD, J. W.'ORHJER.

means on electrical connec- 

